Despite the remarkable progress being made in the treatment of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), a high rate of early death remains a major obstacle worldwide, particularly in developing countries. In this interview, Francesco Lo-Coco, MD, of University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, discusses the promising future of APL treatment for patients. Currently, intravenous arsenic trioxide (ATO) plus all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is the standard of care for APL, with low-risk patients being cured without chemotherapy. Although more studies are needed, Dr Lo-Coco explains the future of replacing intravenous ATO with oral ATO. He also discusses the lessons learnt about minimal residual disease (MRD) whilst studying APL, including making molecular remission a treatment objective. This interview was held at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2017 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Atlanta, GA.
Advancements in APL treatment: oral ATO, MRD and treatment objectives
